Releasable parachute harness



May 30, 1961 E. A. GIMALOUSKI RELEASABLE PARACHUTE HARNESS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1956 INVENTOR. Edward A.Gima louski BYWJ'M.

ATTORNEY May-30, 1961 E. A. GIMALOUSKI RELEASABLE PARACHUTE HARNESS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1956 INVENTOR. Edward A. Gima louski BYMJM.

ATTORNEY y 1961 Y E. A. GIMALOUSKI 2,986,362

RELEASABLE PARACHUTE HARNESS Filed June 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

Edward A.6imalouski (a P BY United States Patent 1 2,986,362 RELEASABLEPARACHUTE HARNESS Edward A. Gimalouski, Manchester, Conn., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Pioneer Parachute Company,

Inc., Manchester, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 19, 1956,Ser. No. 592,343 4 Claims. (Cl. 244-151) This invention relates toparachute harnesses capable of being readily released from a wearer andis directed particularly to actuating means for releasing connectorsemployed in such harnesses.

The parachute harness shown and described in my issued Patent No.2,726,832 is typical of a type of harness which is releasable from awearer so that the wearer may free himself from the harness promptlyafter landing and even though heavily laden with cumbersome equipment.Harnesses of this type are particularly useful for paratroopers, firefighters and others who may have occasion to make a parachute jump whilecarrying arms, floats, fire extinguishers, shovels or other bulkyequipment. However, because the harness can fall away from the wearerwhen released, it is essential that the actuating means used to effectsuch release shall be foolproof and incapable of accidental operation.At the same time, it must be capable of ready operation even when theuser is wearing thick or heavy gloves or mittens.

In accordance wtih the present invention, a parachute harness havingreleasable elements is provided with actuating means which are readilyoperable when required, but are normally locked against movement so asto prevent accidental operation thereof. The construction preferably issuch that at least two and preferably three, successive movements oroperations are required in actuating the device. However, each movementis capable of being performed readily with gloved hands and by eitherthe right or left hand as may be necessary in an emergency.

For this purpose the present invention provides harness releasing meanswith an actuating device having an operating handle formed withtelescoping elements. The handle elements are held in collapsed andlocked relation during normal usage of the harness so that the handlewill not project outward to a position in which it might be accidentallyactuated or catch upon clothing or articles carried by the wearer.However, when the parachutist is approaching the ground the handle maybe easily manipulated to cause the elements to expand so that the handlewill be prominently positioned and easily movable to release the harnessfrom the wearer. More over, if the handle should be struck or otherwiseacci dentally caused to expand to an unlocked condition, the wearer willimmediately be aware of this fact by reason of the projection of thehandle and can restore it to its locked condition again. Theconstruction also may be provided with a loading position for the handlein which the handle may be retained while leaving both hands free tofasten and adjust the harness and fittings. Similarly, the handle may belocked in open position preventing accidental return of the elements tolocked relation.

One of the objects of the present invention is to pro vide a parachuteharness with novel means for effecting release thereof from a wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a parachute harness withreleasable means requiring successive movements to actuate the same.

A specific object of the invention is to provide actuating means forreleasing a parachute harness and including a handle embodyingtelescoping elements movable from a collapsed and locked position to anexpanded operating position.

These and other objects and features of the present invention willappear from the following description thereof in which reference is madeto the figures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating a typical form of parachute harnessand actuating means embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the actuating device of Fig. I mounted on aremovable chest piece of the harness with parts thereof broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in thedrawings the harness is of the type shown and described in Patent No.2,726,832. The harness embodies a sling having a seat portion 2terminating in attaching links 4 located near the wearers hips. Legstraps 6 are secured to the seat portion and arranged to extend forwardand upward between a wearers legs, terminating in loops 8 which looselyengage the seat portion near the ends thereof. The links 4 arereleasably engageable with connectors 10 and 12 secured to the lowerends of side riser portions 14 and 16, respectively, of a chest piece 18of the harness.

The upper ends of the side riser portions 14 and 16 of the chest pieceare provided with connectors 20 and 22, respectively, adapted to bereleasably engaged by. links 24 carried by shoulder portions 26 of theharness. The shoulder portions are arranged to pass rearwardly over awearers shoulders for attachment to a parachute contained in a back packor seat pack (not shown) which may be secured to the harness. Theharness also may have other straps such as the body engaging straps 28as desired for securing the harness in place on a wearer.

The harness may, of course, be of any other suitable type embodyingquick release elements operable simultaneously to permit the wearer todisengage various straps of a harness in removing the same. However, inthe preferred form of the invention the harness includes a removablechest piece having separable side riser portions releasably connectablewith the seat portion and shoulder portions of the harness. Theattachment of the free ends of the leg straps to the seat strap may beeffected by means of the loops 8 as shown, or in any other suitable wayas, for example, by connectors as illustrated in my issued Patent No.2,726,832. The side riser portions 14 and 16 of the harness preferablyare provided with attaching rings 30 to which a chest pack 32 may besecured. The harness also may have other rings or means (not shown) forattachment of other types of equipment thereto as desired.

The connectors 10, 12, 20 and 22 by which the chest piece 18 and sideriser portions 14 and 16 are connected to the seat portion and shoulderportions of the harness may be of any suitable or preferred type and maybe actuated by cables or the like upon operation of the actuating device34. As shown, the connectors are of the type illustrated and describedin copending application Serial No. 479,566, filed January 3, 1955. Suchconnectors are formed with a body 36 having a pair of latching elements38 therein engageable by one or another of the links 4 and 24 to holdthem in connected relation. However, the latching elements are movableto link releasing position by means of a slide 40 operable by a cable42. The latching elements and slide are normally urged toward their linkretaining positions by springs 44 and 46, respectively, but are movableagainst the action of said springs by the cable 42 and pivoted arms 43upon operation of the actuating device 34. The latching elementsPatented May St), 196 1 have pins 45 thereon which project into openings47 in the slide 40 and are held in the restricted part 49 of the recesswhen the harness is secured on the wearer whereby the, latching elementsare held against outward, movement to release the link therefrom.

'Ihe actuating device employed for. Qulli gon cables, 42- preferably isenclosed within a housing. 48. mounted. near. the center of a ratherstiff base 50 on thechest, piece 18. A. drum 52 is secured to a stud 5.4rotatably mounted within the housing 48 and has thev ends of each. ofthe cables 42 attached thereto. Four cables may be provided so that one.cable may extend to each Oi t e. connectors 10, 12, 20 and 22 on theends of the side riser portions, of the chest piece for simultaneousoperation ofthe' con: nectors upon rotation of the drum 52.v Whenrotated the cables 42 are wound upon the drum pulling the ca les andmoving the slide 40 and latching elements 38 of the connectors torelease the links on the seat portion; and shoulder portions of theharness. The slide riser portions 14 and 16 of the chest piece 18 arethereby disengaged from the harness whereby the; chest piece may'fallaway and the harness as a whole may bedisearded by the wearer withoutdifliculty.

In order to rotate drum 52, the actuating device 34 is provided with ahandle 56 which is formed at its lower end with a slot which receivestheflattened or squaredend, 58. of the rotatable stud 54 projecting to theexterior of the housing 48. The handle is thus movable-in an arc torotate the stud 54 and drum S2 to pull on the cables 42 and actuate theconnectors 10,112 20 and 22 The handle 56 is arranged to extend througha slot 60 formed in an outwardly projecting flange 62 whichmay be formedintegral with the marginal base 64 oi the housing 48. The slot 60 isprovided with enlarged opem. ings 66 and 68 at the ends thereof, whereasthe intermediate portion of the slot is formed with two ofiset portions70 and 72 connected by a transverse channel 74. By reason of thisformation of the slot,60, movement of the handle from the enlarged end66 of the. slot toward the. opposite end 68 requires three successivemovementsnamely, movement in an arcuate direction through portion 79,lateral movement through the transverse channel 74 and further arcuatemovement through the ofiset portion 72 of the slot. The lateral movementof the handle is permitted by reason of the spring member 71 whichengages the slotted end of the handle and is held in place by aretaining plate 73 secured to the reduced end 58 of stud 54.

- The handle 56 is formed of two telescoping elements which arerelatively movable radially of the stud 54 so as to assume either acollapsed locking position or an extended operating position. For thispurpose the outer end of the handle is formed as a telescoping sleeve 76surrounding an inner tubular portion 78. A rod 80 ex tends through thetubular portion and is surrounded by a spring 82 which urges the end 76of the handle outward to an extended operating position. When the sleeve76 is pressed inward against the action of spring 82, it may enter theenlarged end 66 or 68 of the slot and since sleeve 76 is larger indiameter than the width of the oiIset, portions. 70 and '72 of the slot,the handle cannot be moved in an arcuate manner as long as sleeve 76 iscqmplfessed and extends into one or the other of the enlattgcd.openings- 66 or 68.

The sleeve 76 may be held in its compressed or, locking position by anysuitable type of: releasable means. shown, the outer sleeve 76 isprovided with a collar 84 surrounding rod 80 and movable axially of therod into and out of engagement with a stop 86 formed on the end of therod. Locking balls or dogs 88 are located in radial bores 90 near theouter end of the collar 84 and are movable into locking position beneaththe stop 86 when the sleeve 76 is compressed against the action ofspring 82 so as, to enter one of the enlarged openings 66 and 68 intheslot 60.. A cap 92 which isslidably fitted over the end of collar 84serves to hold the locking balls in their inner locking position toretain the handle in its depressed and locked position in opening 66 or68. The cap is urged outward to hold the locking balls in place by meansof a spring 94. However, the. cap is tormedwith an annular recess 96sothat when the cap isdepressed against the action of spring. 94, theballs can moveoutward from beneath, the stop 86 .whereupon, the collarand outer end of the handle will move ohtward underthe action of spring82 to an extended operating position. The lower end of sleeve 76 willthen be withdrawn from the enlarged opening 66 or 68 so as to releasethe handle for arcuatemovement to actuate the harness connectors 10, 12,20 and 22. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated, the cap92 is limited in its outward movement by engagement with member 98 andis enclosed within a rubber or flexible cover 100 so that a watertightand dust-proof assembly is provided.

The axial or radial movement of the outerend of the handle to anextended operating position not only serves as a visual indication ofthe operative condition of the actuating means, but also serves topresent the handle in a more prominent and convenient position whereinit projects above the chest pack 32 carried by the harness. Theincreased length ofthe handle also gives more leverage for operating theactuating means in the event any of the connectors should provedifficult to operate. 0n the other hand, when the handle is in itscollapsed locking position, the end 100 is positioned near the upperside of the chest pack 32 where it will be out of the way and protectedby the chest pack but still be located in position tobe readily pressedor struck by the fist to release the handle for operation.

In using the parachute harness described, the wearer moves the handle 56of the actuating device 34 to its central or loading position in whichthe handle is located in the transverse channel 74 of slot 60 betweenthe oifsetportions 70 and 72 of the slot. Such positioning of the handleserves to pull on cables 42 sufliciently to move the slide 40 of each ofthe connectors 10, 12, 20 and 22 against the action of spring 44 and toan intermediate or loading position in which the latching elements 38are freed to permit insertion of the links 4 and 24 into openings in thebody 36 of each connector. Since the handle will normally tend to remainin the loading position until positively moved, the wearer may use bothhands in applying and adjusting the harness.

In applying the harness to the wearer, the chest piece 18 carrying theactuating device is attached to the shoulder portions of the harness bypushing links 24 into connectors 28 and 22. Loops 8 of the leg strapsare slipped over the ends of the seat portion 2 and the links 4 on theends of the seat portion are pushed into connectors 10 and 12. Thelatching elements 38 of the various connectors snap into engagement withthe links under the action of springs 46 affording an audible indicationthat they have become engaged. The connector may further be providedwith transparent covers if desired so that the condition of eachconnector can be inspected to insure proper connection of the partsconnected to the seat portion 2 by the links 4.

The handle 56 is then moved to its locking position in the enlargedopening 66 at the end of the portion 70 of slot 60 and the outertelescoping end of thehandle is pushed inward against the action ofspring 82 until it enters the opening 66. In pushing the end of thehandle inward, cap 92 is depressed so that the annular recess 96 thereinis aligned with bores 90 in collar 84. The locking balls 88 cantherefore move outward into the recess 96 allowing the stop 86 on rod topass the locking balls. Thereafter upon release of the rod, the cap 92is moved outward by spring 94 and the locking balls are, pushed inwardso as to project beneath the stop 86 to the position shown in Fig. 3.The outer end of the handle 56 is thus held depressed and locked withinthe opening 66 in slot 60 preventing rotary or arcuate movement of thehandle. Cover flaps 102 may be secured to the base '50 of chest piece 18and are foldable inward to engage snaps 104 to protect the elements frominjury or exposure.

When the wearer descends in a parachute jump, and upon approaching theground, it is only necessary to press upon the cover 100 on the outerend of the handle or to strike it with a blow of the gloved hand,whereby the cap 92 will be depressed to bring the annular recess 96 intoposition to receive the locking balls 88. The balls will then moveoutward allowing the sleeved end 76 of the handle to move outward underthe action of spring 82 withdrawing the sleeve from opening 66 of theslot 60. The outer end 76 of the handle is then free to move outwardfrom its collapsed and protected position to a prominent exposedoperating position wherein it may be readily moved to rotate the drum 52so as to cause the cables 42 to be pulled. If desired, the handle 56 maybe pushed along the ofiset portion 70 of slot 60 to the transversechannel 74. The actuating device is then readied for a final releasingmovement upon landing.

When the parachutist lands it is only necessary to move thehandlethrough the channel 74 of slot 60 and on through ofiset portion 72 ofthe slot to the opposite opening '68. When so moved, the cables 42 arepulled sufficiently to withdraw the latching elements 38 from engagementwith the links 4 and 24 so that the chest piece is disconnected from theharness. The chest piece, leg straps, seat portion and shoulder portionsof the harness are then all released and the harness will fall away fromthe wearer freeing him for normal activity.

The handle portion 76 may be depressed to engage opening 68 in slot 60to lock the actuating device in releasing position when not in use sothat it will not return accidentally to a locking position untilpositively released and moved.

The connectors employed may, of course, vary considerably in form andconstruction, but have here been described as being of the type shown incopending application Serial No. 479,566 since such connectors aretypical of those which have been employed in such assemblies. Theharness chosen for purposes of the present description is that of PatentNo. 2,726,832 but it will be apparent that other types of quick releaseharness and other types of connector releasing means may be used ifdesired. It should therefore be understood that numerous changes andmodifications may be made in the form, construction and arrangement ofthe various elements of the actuating device employed, and accordinglythe particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings anddescribed above is intended to be illustrative only and is not intendedto limit the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. i111 a parachute harness having a plurality of separable connectorsfor holding the harness in place on a wearer, an actuating devicelocated in a position on the harness wherein it may be renderedinaccessible by paraphernalia carried by a wearer of the harness, saidactuating device being rotatable to release said connectors, a handleconnected to the actuating device to rotate the same from a connectorretaining position to a connector releasing position, said handle havingrelatively movable inner and outer end portions, said outer end portionbeing movable from an inner relatively inaccessible position to anextended relatively accessible position, spring means normally tendingto urge said outer end portion toward said extended accessible position,and means releasably holding said outer end portion in said innerrelatively inaccessible position when said handle is in said connectorretaining position.

2. In a parachute harness including side risers and a chest piece,separable connectors by which said chest piece is secured to at leastone of said side risers, attaching rings on the side risers by which anemergency parachute pack may be secured to the harness over the chestpiece, an actuating device secured to the harness in position to berendered relatively inaccessible when an emergency parachute pack issecured to said attaching rings, said actuating device being rotatableto release said'connectors, a handle connected to said actuating deviceto rotate the device from a connector retaining position to a connectorreleasing position, said handle having telescoping and relativelymovable inner and outer end portions, said outer end portion beingmovable from an inner relatively inaccessible position to an extendedrelatively accessible position, spring means normally tending to urgesaid outer end portion toward said extended accessible position, andmeans releasably holding said outer end portion in said inner relativelyinaccessible posit-ion when said handle is in said connector retainingposition.

3. In a parachute harness having a plurality of separable connectors forholding the harness in place on a wearer, an actuating device located ina position on the harness wherein it may be rendered inaccessible byparaphernalia carried by a wearer of the harness, said actuating devicebeing movable to release said connectors, a handle connected to theactuating device to move the same from a connector retaining position toa connector releasing position, a member fixed with respect to saiddevice and having a slot therein through which said handle extends, saidhandle having telescoping inner and outer end portions and spring meansurging the outer end po'rtion of the handle from a collapsed relativelyinaccessible position toward an extended relatively accessible position,said slot having an enlarged opening therein and the outer end portionof the handle being movable into and out of said enlarged opening tolock and release the handle.

4. In a parachute harness including side risers and a chest piece,separable connectors by which said chest piece is secured to at leastone of said side risers, attaching rings on the side risers by which anemergency parachute pack may be secured to the harness over the chestpiece, an actuating device secured to the harness in position to berendered relatively inaccessible when an emergency parachute pack issecured to said attaching rings, said actuating device being movable torelease said connectors, a handle connected to said actuating device tomove the device from a connector retaining position to a connectorreleasing position, a member fixed with respect to said device andhaving a slot therein through which the handle extends, said handlehaving telescoping inner and outer end portions, spring means urging theouter end of the handle from a collapsed relatively inaccessibleposition toward an extended relatively accessible position, said slothaving an enlarged opening therein and the outer end portion of thehandle being movable into and out of said enlarged opening to lock andrelease the handle, locking means engageable with the outer end portionof the handle to hold the same in collapsed relatively inaccessibleposition with a portion thereof extending into the enlarged opening ofsaid slot, and compressible means on the outer end portion of the handleoperable to disengage said locking means therefrom to permit outwardmovement of the outer end of the handle under the action of said springmeans to said extended relatively accessible operating position removedfrom said enlarged opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,393,311 Cunningham Jan. 22, 1946 2,529,195 Stone NOV. 7, 19502,649,145 McCarthy Aug. 18, 1953 2,674,773 Lundholm Apr. 13, 19542,726,832 Gimalouski et al Dec. 13, 1955 2,754,073 Holm et a1. July 10,1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 644,464 Great Britain Oct. 11, 1950

